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105 of 107 found the following review helpful:
 stir frying with confidence & inspiration Jun 17, 2010
By Charles Gibbs
"Charles Gibbs, MD"
After purchasing this book, I have had a hard time cooking from any other. To date, I have made: minced pork in lettuce cups; stir-fried beef & broccoli; stir-fried chicken with pineapple and peppers; chinese trinidadian chicken with mango chutney; five spice chicken with sugar snaps; chinese jamaican stir-fried chicken with chayote; stir-fried chicken with carrots & mushrooms; chinese burmese chili chicken; stir-fried salmon in wine sauce; dry-fried pepper & salt shrimp; singapore-style stir-fried lobster; spicy long beans with sausage and mushrooms; fried sweet rice with mushrooms; and singapore noodles. No dish has disappointed. The recipes are clear and concise, the backgrounds giving more appreciation for each dish, and the photography approaches the pornographic for glorious color & close-ups of the food. That said (I may be biased), my dishes have looked remarkably close to the pictures.
I haven't had this much fun cooking from a book in a long time. So. . .buy the book, find those tiny Mom & Pop Asian grocery stores, & don't be afraid to ask questions. You're going to eat well!
72 of 74 found the following review helpful:
Rediscovering stir-fry! Jun 17, 2010
By KarenSantaFe
"KarenSantaFe"
Back in the 70s and early 80s, the wok was all the rage. Then in one of my many youthful moves, I lost mine and never thought about it again. Not, that is, until this book came along.
Grace Young's book is great for the first-time wok cook, or for those like me who are rediscovering Asian cooking. The opening section has clear explanations and color photographs on the different kinds of woks, how to season a wok, wok tools, and wok variations in different countries. She provides a very handy list of Asian ingredients, with explantions for each and substitutions that can be used for some. The recipes are clearly written, accessible to the western cook, and lots and lots of color photos which I particularly appreciate. At the back is a resource list of stores and web sites.
I called one of these -- The Wok Shop in San Francisco's Chinatown -- and the store owner, Tane, who is also featured in one of the pictures in the book, was very helpful in helping me choose the right wok for me and my stovetop. A mere sixty bucks and a few days later, I had my wok, wok cover, all my wok tools, and was ready to roll. (I bought a lot of extras but you can get a wok from Tane for as low as $15) Since then we've been using the wok several times a week, and really enjoying the many things that can be made in it, especially the vegetables, which I'm trying to eat more of.
what I appreciated most about Young's philosophy is that wok cooking is extremely inexpensive AND healthy. It is the chosen cooking tool for humans in most parts of the world, and once you learn how to use your wok, most of those other pots and pans really are not needed. Wok, heat source, something to move the food around (spatula or whatever), and some food from the garden or local market and you are good to go, anywhere on the planet! Highly recommended for novice cooks and chefs alike!!
61 of 64 found the following review helpful:
WOW can I Wok Now Jun 04, 2010
By Laura A. Cornaggia
I loved this book. Stir Fying to the Skys Edge. I have been cooking for 30 years with what I thought was a pretty good knowledge of stir frying. I love my wok and use it a couple of times a month. This Book without a doubt has helped me bring my cooking to a whole other level. The recipes are great but there is so much more to be learned in this book. Grace Young makes you want to run to the store and prepare a great healthy meal. She makes it interesting and easy to cook all your old favorites plus and ton of new dishes. Lets face it what cook does not love a one dish meal??? Great Book. I am buying this book for all my future wedding shower gifts.
19 of 20 found the following review helpful:
The finest I have found on the subject of stir frying Jan 07, 2011
By David S. Goldy
"Music lover"
Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge is what a cookbook about stir frying should be. I have lost count of the number of such books on the subject which I have read through and I have cooked from at least ten and this is the finest for some of the reasons described below.
First, all recipes can actually be made; the ingredients used are available at most supermarkets and the few which are not are available at any metropolitan area asian grocer or from many mail order vendors for those of you living in rural areas.
Second, the quantity of ingredients and directions are detailed and straight forward. The author goes so far as to write up techniques and tools for preparing the proteins and vegetables such as the best ways to cut matchstick sized vegetables, slice proteins, etc. There is no guess work needed to make the recipes. The author avoids this very common failing of cookbooks.
As a consequence of the foregoing, even a novice cook can actually make the recipes as intended by the author and they are delicious.
Third, I have loved the flavors, textures and smells of all of the recipes which I have made. The dishes written up are excellent.
Fourth, there is a great variety of dishes covering all of the usual proteins and vegetables. Whatever one you favor, you will find a preparation including it, and most likely featuring it, be it chicken, fish, seafood, beef, pork, noodles, rice, and all sorts of vegetables.
I do wish that the recipes contained nutrition information. However, this is common among non-diet books.
I expect that I will make at least 90% of the recipes in this book and expect to love them all. This book is a keeper and worth adding to you cookbook collection. I am grateful to the author and anticipate that you will be too.
21 of 23 found the following review helpful:
Woket Science Aug 23, 2010
By Ed
I probably should use this cookbook a few more times before writing a review, but my first meal turned out so well, that I am confident that the others will too. I am new to stir-fry, and this book is absolutely perfect, especially since I'm an older guy who's only real exposure to cooking is throwing burgers and chicken onto a grill, and getting into his wife's way when she is trying to get supper ready. The first 70 pages of this book are spent explaining what stir-fry is, and what equipment you will need. More importantly, she explains how to use and care for it. I found those pages indispensable. If I can follow her instructions and have the food turn out well, ANYONE can. There are no Chinese cooking classes available where I live, so I really needed to have all of the basics spelled out for me. Besides, her prose is very enjoyable to read; lots of good stories about how Chinese cooking developed as people emigrated from China to other parts of the world. My only difference of opinion with Ms Young is that she feels that most American cast iron Woks are too heavy for comfortable use. I bought a Lodge Wok at Amazon, and it is perfect for me. I don't plan on flipping food in the wok, so the extra weight is ok, and it does hold the heat well. Thank you Grace Young for this outstanding cookbook.
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